Toward Indigenous Presence: A Radical Relationality Approach for Designing Mixed-Reality Indigenous Data Experiences

We present Indigenous Presence, a design principle for partnering with Indigenous communities to make computing tools responsive to Indigenous priorities. Indigenous Presence blends participatory design methodologies with radical relationality, a concept from Critical Indigenous Theory, and theories of presence from virtual and mixed-reality (MR) research. Examples come from a six-year partnership with local Micronesian and Dakota communities that aims, in part, to use MR to revitalize and exchange cultural knowledges of canoes, waters, lands, and skies. Five factors for activating Indigenous Presence are identifed: 1) having a community-relevant topic, 2) including Indigenous makers, 3) creating culturally identifiable experiences, 4) centering radical relationality in design, and 5) respecting Indigenous protocols. Potential benefits include higher ethical standards for computing research along with increased trustworthiness and participation in computing.